Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Topical sun or radiation screening – or tanning preparations
Reexamination Certificate
2001-05-18
2002-05-07
Dees, Jose′ G. (Department: 1616)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Topical sun or radiation screening, or tanning preparations
C424S401000, C426S073000, C426S542000, C514S725000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06383474
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a carotenoid comprising preparation. The preparation of the invention can be used in food, in cosmetics, in a variety of medicinal uses, etc. The invention also concerns a method for the production of the carotenoids.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Carotenoids are pigments produced by microorganisms, fungi and plants, and used by them as antioxidants and protectants against excessive radiation. The most widely used carotenoids in food, medical preparations or cosmetics are &bgr;-carotene and lycopene. &bgr;-Carotene and lycopene are sensitive to light and oxidation, a property which considerably limits their use and shortens shelf-life of products containing them (in: Carotenoids, Chemistry and Biology, Krinski, N. I., Matthews-Roth, M. M., Taylor, R. F., ads), Planum Press, New York, London, 1989). In addition, &bgr;-carotene and lycopene have a distinctive orange color and this color has a serious limitation for a variety of cosmetic or food applications.
Phytoene (7, 8, 11, 12, 7′, 8′, 11′, 12′-octahydro-&ggr;,&ggr;-carotene) and, phytofluene (15Z, 7, 8, 11, 12, 7′, 8′-hexahydro-&ggr;,&ggr;-carotene), are carotenoids (C-40 isoprenoids chain) which are precursors in the biosynthetic pathway which leads to the production of &bgr;-carotene, lycopene and other carotenoids (phytoene is the first carotenoid-specific precursor and phytofluene is produced therefrom in a subsequent desaturation step). Phytoene is completely colorless whereas phytofluene has a slight yellowish color. Japanese Patent Application No. 90-40520, disclosed that the introduction of a DNA sequence yielding expression of phytoene into certain transfected cancer cells, resulted in inhibition of their growth and in inhibition in the activation of Epstein Barr virus (EBV).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention it was shown that phytoene and phytofluene possess anti-oxidative properties and furthermore are capable of absorbing ultra violet (UV) light. In addition, although having these properties, phytoene and phytofluene were found to be much more stable to oxidation than, for example, &bgr;-carotene. These findings led to the realization that phytoene and phytofluene in combination could be useful in the prevention of environmentally induced damage of various kinds.
Thus, in accordance with the invention there is provided a composition comprising, an amount of phytoene and an amount of phytofluene, effective in combination in the prevention of damage resulting from oxidation and from exposure to UV light.
In accordance with the invention, the term “damage” is to be understood as any damage resulting from a variety of oxidative agents such as oxygen itself, hydroxyl radical, hydrogen peroxide, other free radicals, ozone etc., or from any kind of harmful UV irradiation, such as UVA and UVB irradiation. The damage would depend upon the target for which the preparation is used. Thus, if the preparation is used on skin, damage may be any skin damage such as burns, blisters, damage appearing after chronic exposure to sun, e.g. premature aging of the skin, etc. When the preparation is used as a food preservative, such damage may be in the form of a decrease in product stability, chemical modification resulting for example in rancidity, accelerated aging, etc.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention there is provided a topical skin composition for protecting the skin against environmental hazards, comprising phytoene and phytofluene in an effective amount such that, in combination, these carotenoids exert an oxidation-protecting and UV-protecting effect on the skin.
The term “environmental hazards” relates to any environmental agent which can exert damage such as UV radiation or oxidative agents.
The term “effective amount” should be understood to mean an amount of phytoene and an amount of phytofluene which, when administered in combination, achieves the desired protective effect.
The phytoene and phytofluene in the composition of the invention may each be either in their trans or in their cis forms.
The weight ratio between the phytoene and phytofluene in the composition of the invention can range between 200:1 to 1:200, respectively, typically between about 50:1 to 1:50, preferably from 10:1 to 1:10, 10:1 (phytoene:phytofluene) being a particular example. The above ratios of phytoene to phytofluene may be reached either by using an extract which contains both carotenoids in the desired ratio, by adding an additional amount of one of the carotenoids to an extract comprising both carotenoids so that the desired ratio is obtained or by mixing the two separate carotenoids (each obtained by any of the methods mentioned or described above and below) to reach the desired ratio between them.
One of tie novel features of the inventive composition is that while possessing the above noted properties, the combination of phytoene and phytofluene is essentially devoid of any color (but for a slight yellowish hew, hardly visible, of the phytofluene). The composition of the invention will have less color than any other composition comprising a combination of carotenoids when compared at similar concentrations of carotenoids. The fact that the composition is essentially colorless ensures that these carotenoids will not have any effect on the aesthetic properties of the preparation comprising them. In addition, the lack of absorbance of light in the visible range (which is a manifestation of the fact that they are essentially colorless) renders them stable to degradation under visible light.
The preparation may, in accordance with the above noted preferred embodiment, be used as a topical cosmetic or pharmaceutical preparation in order to protect the skin from environmental hazards such as those described above including UV (UVA and/or UVB) irradiation or damages which can be effected by a variety of oxidative agents. A topical composition of the invention may be in the form of a gel, an oil-in-water or water-in-oil emulsion, a salve or ointment, etc.
In accordance with another embodiment, the composition may be used as an additive in food preparations, e.g. serving as a preservative to protect against oxidation of the various food ingredients, e.g. of oils or fats.
At times, the composition of the invention may comprise additional components which do not substantively change the basic characteristics of the composition. One example of such a component is zetacarotene (7,8,7′,8′-tetrahydro-&ggr;,&ggr;-carotene).
The composition of the invention may obviously, depending on its use, comprise also other ingredients, cosmetical or pharmaceutical acceptable carriers, preservatives, other antioxidants, various pharmaceutically or cosmetically active ingredients such as a topically acting drugs, etc.
In accordance with one preferred embodiment, the composition comprises also a hydrophobic carrier, which may be selected from oils typically used in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical or food industry, such as vegetable, mineral or synthetic oils.
The phytoene and phytofluene may be obtained from a variety of sources. Typically, they may be obtained from organisms that produce carotenoids, such as a variety of plants, various algae, and particularly micro algae Dunaliella sp, being a specific example. Very low amounts of phytoene and phytofluene have been produced by &bgr;-carotenoid producing organisms. To obtain even such low amounts of the carotenoids, the organisms were grown under dim light conditions. In accordance with the invention, a method is provided which enables to yield substantive amounts of at least one of phytoene or phytofluene from such &bgr;-carotenoid producing organisms. The term “substantive amounts” relates to an carotenoid producing organisms. The term “substantive amounts” relates to an amount of phytoene or an amount of phytofluene ranging from about 0.1 mg/l culture to about 30 mg/l culture typically between about 1 mg/l to about 20 mg/l. When the carotenoid producing organis
Ben-Amotz Ami
Bezalel Lea
Paltiel Judith
Perry Inon
Schickler Hedva
Dees Jose′ G.
I.B.R. Israeli Biotechnology Research Ltd.
Juneau Todd L.
Lamm Marina
Nath Gary M.
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